The SRB Retrieval Support Craft

This paper will be limited to the recovery of the Solid Rocket Boosters (SRB) and accessory hardware, and will specifically address the development of operating platforms to support at-sea retrieval. The Naval Ocean Systems Center (NOSC), provided to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), an operational scheme and retrieval vessel specifications for SRB retrieval. Subsequent to this, NOSC was tasked by the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Organization to analyze their SRB recovery needs, and to recommend a retrieval vessel approach suited to their particular needs which are distinctly different from those of NASA. The NASA recovery port facility near Cape Kennedy, imposes some unique operation requirements on the retrieval vessels and dictates certain approaches to developing a platform capability. The Air Force recovery requirements are based on a less frequent launch schedule and a different port facility arrangement, which allows a more economical approach in providing a retrieval platform. The requirements of both retrieval situations will be discussed, and the development of retrieval vessel configuration and operating methods tailored to the two unique environments will be compared and contrasted.